The Ohio State Buckeyes watched a significant hole open in their defense Saturday. Defensive tackle Tyleik Williams left with an ankle injury during the fourth quarter of the Penn State win.
Head coach Ryan Day, however, provided a promising update Wednesday on his star defender. Day says Williams has improved health, per Chase Brown of Eleven Warriors.
“It looks like he'll be available for the game,” Day said.
Day's words mean Williams will suit up against Purdue this coming Saturday. His presence is a huge boost for a team pursuing the Big 10 Conference title. Plus for a team that's No. 3 in the nation and two spots behind conference leader Oregon.
Williams has played four seasons total in Columbus. He helps anchor the trenches for the nation's No. 2 ranked overall defense. But also the Big 10's best overall defense. Ohio State has surrendered an average of only 256.4 total yards per game. The Buckeyes even made history against Penn State in the Saturday romp.
How impactful is Ohio State Buckeyes defender?
The massive and powerful 6-foot-3, 330-pound Williams arrived to OSU as a prized four-star.
Williams emerged as the state of Virginia's No. 4 ranked overall prospect by 247Sports for the 2021 class. He got offered by 31 different college football programs before settling on the Buckeyes' opportunity.
The native of Manassas, Virginia came equipped with an “excellent frame with lean build” per 247Sports National Director of Scouting Brian Dohn. He added how Williams drew comparisons to former Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Willie Henry and earned a future Day 3 NFL Draft projection.
Williams cracked the lineup immediately. He played in 12 games during his true freshman season. The interior defender grabbed 10 solo tackles and snatched five sacks.
The Buckeyes have watched him become a steady defensive presence since. Williams played in 13 games the last two seasons. He elevated his tackle numbers to 21 and 53 in 2022 and 2023, respectively. He even turned to his long arms to bat down five passes in '23.
Williams has grabbed 21 tackles with seven solo stops this season. He's penetrated the offensive line for 2.5 sacks as well.
The Buckeyes saw him at his destructive best against top ranked Oregon despite the loss. Williams racked up a season-high five tackles in Eugene.
By suiting up against the Boilermakers, Williams the OSU will face the nation's No. 111 ranked offenses. Only UCLA and Michigan have fielded a worse offense among Big 10 teams. The Buckeyes are already a massive 38.5-point favorite against Purdue. Ohio State owns a 42-15-2 all-time record against the Boilermakers.
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